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Nellie Collins

"I've been looking for other Americans women in Antwerp. InterNations unites them all - some have become very close friends by now."

Fernando Achutegui

"With the help of InterNations members we've found a good real estate agent. Now we live in a very nice house on the outskirts of Antwerp."

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UK: Housing and Accommodation

Home, sweet home? To feel truly at home in the UK, you have to consider several aspects. First off, explore various towns and neighborhoods for the property search. Once you know whether to rent or buy, familiarize yourself with the legal details. Lastly, you also need utilities when moving in.

When you relocate to the UK, the choice of your new hometown is mostly dictated by your personal circumstances, especially your or your partner’s workplace. Still, there are a number of urban areas throughout the UK, which attract plenty of new residents from overseas. Obviously, Greater London remains the financial and economic center of the nation, and thus the first option for lots of expatriates settling in Britain. However, our guides on popular expat destinations and residential neighborhoods do not only introduce the Greater London area. We also cover several urban centers of England’s south, the Manchester and Leeds conurbations in Northern England, as well as the Scottish capital, Edinburgh.

Articles about Housing & Accommodation

Where you settle in the UK obviously depends on your reason for relocating. Most foreign residents, though, move to a handful of cities. We introduce some of these popular destinations and their neighborhoods below: from Greater London, over Manchester, and Leeds to Edinburgh.

Several smaller towns and cities in the UK, especially in southern England, attract a rising number of employees from Britain and beyond. Below, we present some of these places, mostly known as strongholds of academia, the high tech sector, and service industries like tourism.

If you are relocating to Great Britain or Northern Ireland, you need to find accommodation soon. Renting in the UK is the most convenient option for expats, especially short-term residents. Our guide provides you with an overview of the legal framework for tenants, from letting agents to giving notice.

Long-term expats may consider settling in the UK. Buying a house in the UK is often a key part of their new life. Our overview covers the essential aspects of buying property in the UK — from the local real estate market to a detailed account of the purchasing process.

No matter where you move, you do need water, electricity, and gas in your new property, and you’d probably like someone to dispose of the trash as well. The following overview of UK utilities helps you deal with those aspects of the relocation process.

Renting and Utilities

Once you know in which town or neighborhood you want to settle in, you will probably start out by moving into a rental property instead of purchasing a new home right away. As a tenant, it is always important to know your rights and responsibilities towards your landlord. Our overview of renting in the UK gives you a brief update on the key legal aspects of living in rental accommodation. For instance, we cover entering into and ending a tenancy agreement, or tips on finding a reliable letting agency. After moving into your new accommodation, you need to take care of getting connected to all basic utilities. We will help you to figure out how to check the quality of your local drinking water, how to compare tariffs for gas and electricity, and how to find a green energy provider. Unlike utilities, waste disposal is usually in the hands of the local authorities. Nonetheless, you should contact them to find out how to separate your household waste and when to put out the rubbish bins.

Purchasing Property in the UK

If you are planning to stay in the UK for a long while – or even for good, you may then be interested in acquiring a permanent home there. While we cannot advise you on the best investment strategies for the British property market, we do provide an overview of housing prices in the UK. Above all, our article on buying property guides you through the purchasing process, step by step. It is essential to get professional advice from a mortgage lender, a local solicitor, and a building surveyor. In this way, you will make sure that your mortgage is guaranteed, the contract is legally binding, and your new home is worth its price.

Nellie Collins

"I've been looking for other Americans women in Antwerp. InterNations unites them all - some have become very close friends by now."

Fernando Achutegui

"With the help of InterNations members we've found a good real estate agent. Now we live in a very nice house on the outskirts of Antwerp."